Menu

Tuesday, 3 February 2015

Just as
leisure travellers admit they are always working – 43 per cent of international travellers
always take their professional mobile devices with them on holiday or weekend
trips*– business travellers are beginning to extend their stays to include a
leisure component. This blurring between business and leisure travel, dubbed
‘bleisure’, was identified as a major trend in the recent Skiftmagazine Megatrends Defining Travel in2015.

Most annual
travel is for leisure, with business travel making up less than 30 per cent, and
according to BridgeStreet's survey, nearly half (46 per cent) of business
travellers add personal travel days to business trips. Having surveyed more than
640 recent guests, BridgeStreet’s original research reveals an overwhelmingly
positive sentiment toward bleisure as the latest business travel trend.

While a desire for ‘bleisure’ is growing amongst
employees, the majority of businesses have yet to incorporate the concept.
Nearly 60 per cent of respondents indicated their company does not have a policy
on bleisure, with an additional 27 per cent unsure of any policy. But bleisure
is about more than rest and relaxation; these trips can actually impact
employee satisfaction. Seventy-nine per cent of recent BridgeStreet guests
indicated that adding leisure trips to extended business travel (3+ weeks) adds
value to an assignment, while 73 per cent feel that the opportunity to take
bleisure trips benefits them as an employee.

With 95 per cent of travellers more than
or equally likely to take a bleisure trip in the next five years, business
could benefit from implementing policies surrounding this trend. Employees feel bleisure opportunities benefit
them and add value to work assignments, contributing to higher job satisfaction
and loyalty.

Clear and fair guidance around ‘bleisure’ trips
will likely help foster trust between companies and their employees as well as
motivate them, make them more productive and create a positive attitude toward
the work/life balance. With the proper implementation, who knows, ‘bleisure’
travel may even have a positive effect on a company’s bottom line.

To learn more about the rise of bleisure travel and view the complete Bleisure Report visit http://www.bridgestreet.com/bleisure.

* 2013 Orbitz
trend reportBridgeStreet is exhibiting at the Business Travel Show on 25-26 February, Olympia Grand, London. Register for a free visitor pass now www.businesstravelshow.com